Finite Element Analysis of Composite Pressure Vessel with Non-Geodesic Fiber Trajectory In view of Friction Factors on Cylinder and End Domes

Abstract

Composites are materials created by dissimilar materials with a view to improve the properties or to create materials with desired properties. Progressive Fiber Polymer Composites have developed as an essential class of industrial materials for load carrying applications with well-rounded properties for many industrial and social applications. Structures like pressure vessels, pipes and motor casings made-up of Filament Winding technology are widely used in aerospace applications. Conventionally, pressure vessels were fabricated by using isotropic materials like steel and aluminum. Structures made-up of isotropic materials are not as much of efficient meanwhile the longitudinal stresses use simply half of the structure capacity but now, with the start of composites, the material might be tailored therefore more fibers are plied in the direction of high stresses. The adaptability of filament winding avoids heavy weight by tailoring the winding patterns to carry the loads. This is mostly beneficial in closed end pressure vessels where the longitudinal loads are only half that of the hoop loads. Usually Composite Pressure Vessels with closed end can be developed with Non-Geodesic paths. In this Pressure vessel friction force is required to keep the fiber from slipping. It implies that we have to resort to modified helical winding which is also called as non-geodesic winding at cylindrical portion or end domes or both. In the present study, a composite pressure vessel with a non-geodesic fiber trajectory for the entire pressure vessel is considered. The composite pressure vessel consists of composite layers with variable thickness and orientation of the fiber. The composite pressure vessel is subjected to uniform internal pressure and the conditions of thin walled structure and balanced symmetry winding pattern are adopted. The objective of the work is to develop a mathematical model for a non-geodesic fiber trajectory considering friction factors on cylinder and end domes of different contours and also to perform structural shell analysis using finite element technique to predict the behavior of the composite pressure vessel.